Effect of Consuming n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Rich Foods on Triglyceride Concentration and Lipoprotein Composition

The study will consist of a 4-week period in which one group of participants will be given a diet based on the NCEP-ATPIII dietary recommendations, and another group will receive the same diet plus chia and pumpkin seeds. If participants maintain triglyceride levels >200 mg/dL, they will be given fish oil supplementation for an additional 4 weeks to reinforce the dietary treatment (NCEP-ATPIII dietary recommendations).

Participants will be screened to ensure they meet the inclusion criteria. Those who agree to participate will be required to sign an informed consent form. At both the beginning and the end of the 4-week period, participants will undergo a medical history assessment, anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and waist circumference), body composition analysis (including body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass percentage, and lean body mass percentage), blood pressure measurement, evaluation of hepatic steatosis using transient elastography and; pulse wave velocity.

In addition, blood samples will be collected to determine serum glucose levels; lipid profile parameters (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides); inflammatory, oxidative, and endothelial markers; and genetic polymorphisms related to lipid metabolism, particularly n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (FADS1 and FADS2). Monocytes will also be isolated to assess mitochondrial function.

Furthermore, serum concentrations of phosphatidylcholine species (16:0_20:5 and 16:0_22:6), lipoprotein composition, and fatty acid profiles will be analyzed using gas chromatography.

Participants with hypertriglyceridemia will be randomly assigned to two groups. Both groups will be prescribed an isocaloric diet; however, only one group will additionally include a food rich in n-3 PUFAs:

• An isocaloric diet based on NCEP-ATPIII dietary recommendations.
• An isocaloric diet based on NCEP-ATPIII dietary recommendations including chia and pumpkin seeds.

Resting energy expenditure wil be measured by indirect calorimetry to determine energy requirement of each participant. Distribution of micronutrients of the dietary intervention will be as follow: 50% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 30% lipids .

This dietary intervention will last 4 weeks. To promote adherence, participants will be given foods rich in n-3 PUFA.

Participants with triglyceride levels >200 mg/dL after the 4-week dietary intervention period will receive fish oil supplementation for an additional 4 weeks. At the end of this period, anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and waist circumference), body composition analysis (including body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass percentage, and lean body mass percentage), blood pressure measurement, and hepatic steatosis assessment using transient elastography will be repeated. Blood samples will be collected again to determine serum glucose levels and lipid profile parameters (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides).

During the whole study dietary intake and the adherence to dietary treatment will be monitored using 24-hour dietary recalls, which will be conducted during all visits, as well as through phone calls 2 times per week and text messages.

In addition to the above, the concentration of fatty acids in serum will be evaluated and compared over a 24-hour period following the intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplements (fish oil) vs. that of foods rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (salmon fish, Sierra fish and chia seeds and pumpkin seeds).

Inclusion criteria

• Signing of the informed consent form
• Both sexes.
• Adults over 18 years of age.
• BMI >18.5 kg/m2.
• Triglycerides between 200 and 500 mg/dL.
• Total cholesterol less than 240 mg/dL

Exclusion criteria

• Any type of diabetes.
• kidney disease diagnosed by a physician.
• Acquired diseases that secondarily cause obesity and diabetes.
• Patients who have suffered a cardiovascular event.
• Weight loss >3 kg in the last 3 months.
• Catabolic diseases such as cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
• Pregnancy.
• Treatment with any medication:
• Treatment with antihypertensive drugs (tricyclic, loop, or potassium-sparing diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, alpha-blockers, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers).
• Treatment with hypoglycemic agents (sulfonylureas, biguanides, incretins) or - insulin and antidiabetics.
• Treatment with statins, fibrates, or other drugs to control dyslipidemia.
• Use of steroid medications, chemotherapy, immunosuppressants, or radiation therapy.
• Anorectic agents or those that accelerate weight loss.
• Treatment with any medication that influences inflammation (corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, colchicine, interleukin-1 inhibitors) or triglyceride metabolism (metformin, glitazones, SGLT2 inhibitors, fibrates, statins, cholesterol ester transporter protein (CETP) inhibitors, pancreatic lipase inhibitors).
• Anticoagulants and antiplatelets (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel).
• People with a smoking cessation index (SCI) greater than 21.
• People with a tobacco Index greater than 21.
• Consumption of large amounts of alcohol (14 drinks for women or 21 drinks for men in a typical week).
• Consumption of any recreational psychoactive substance.
• Allergy or intolerance to any food listed in the proposed pantry.
• Unwillingness to consume any of the foods listed in the proposed pantry.
• Previous n-3 PUFA supplementation.